Andyjr1515

This is a height-adjustable nut - with each string individually adjustable. Basically, the v-grooves in the top of each nut are your nut slots and the strings lie on top of them. So basically turn each screw until the bottom of the v-groove is at broadly right height, make sure it is in line with the string and then try it with the string in the groove. Just turn each up or down until you have the nut height you want for that string and it's done. The V grooves for the bass strings are wider than those for the treble strings to account for the different string widths.

Yup, certainly looks good to me. Nice that you were able to get a touch of an angle - it compliments the end of the fretboard nicely.

Hi Back from daughter's at Aberdeen (borders not closed yet; was there ahead of the 'don't visit relatives' advice; even more ahead of the 'don't even phone people you know' edict that I'm sure is only a few days away ) so back to the project. The pickup rings and headstock plate will be using some wenge constructional veneer - 2mm thick. Strong along the length but very brittle crossgrain. It'll be fine for the headstock plate - this will be similar to Tom's original African bass. This is a photo of his original with maple wings added in anticipation: For the pickup rings - these will darken when they are sanded and finished - I probably need to add an underlayer either of crossgrain wood or maybe even pickguard material to give it a bit more underlying strength: When I've done that, I will probably also slim the ring around the neck pickup a touch to match the slimmer pickup itself. But that's a job for tomorrow.

It depends on the strings and the action height, @Jimothey but for the bottom E, to be sure you need to allow for around 5mm longer than the scale length. The G will be close to scale length - maybe scale length plus 1mm. You also don't want the bottom string saddles too far back if you are going for a top loading option as you might find that the string bindings end up going over the saddles. So yes, you may be able to stagger them a bit but, as @fleabag says, you will need to be careful not to compromise function for form

Lovely!

Yes - that's actually quite a good thing to do to even out the tone differences, but maybe a bridge too far (excusing the pun) in terms of the aesthetics? Jack Bruce's Thumb was like that:

No (that is, yes - it would be a problem) - heavily slanted saddle-holders are absolutely a multi-scale thing. The bridge saddles have to be in the correct positions relative to the scale length (with relatively minor adjustment backward movement - usually 1mm to 4mm back from scale length for intonation ) . And therefore, whether a fixed bridge or individuals, the saddles themselves are going to need to be in the same positions.

My own preference would also be the two straight but, as with @Pea Turgh , more based on tone than looks. The one angled is sort of the wrong angle tone-wise for a bass - it will make the bottom E very mellow and the G quite jangly. I'm not sure that's what you'd be ideally going for.

Good call.

Me too.

Ref the sound - try wiring the two pickups in series. It can often transform the sound a bass and should need only a couple or so of resolders...

This is a wonderful build. Like when you are decorating a room, your eye will, at first, be drawn to things you are not happy with - but bring someone in and even tell them there are flaws, they won't see them. They just see the overall job. Now, I'm well pleased with many of the things I've built but, trust me, I'd be as happy as a pig in s**t if I'd built this.

That's a difficult cut to achieve accurately. Well done!

Just tidied up the list to get rid of those bold letters! 1. @Frank Blank’s (mostly) Acoustic Corner - Godin A4, fretless Rob Allen Mouse, ACG Harlot SC, Ibanez SRC6. QSC K12.2, Helix Stomp. 2. @jebroad Dingwall, Squire silver jazz, schecter fiver, ashdown 8x10, whatever heads I can dig out 3. @Len_derby . Swift Lite bass. A couple of raffle prizes 4. @Andyjr1515 No idea what I'll be bringing bass-wise, but I'll definitely be bringing me (and maybe @Len_derby and maybe @SpondonBassed?) 5. 6. @Teebs Hinnocent 7. @Stub Mandrel's (Naughty Jama Corner) - Fender Flea bass, Fender performer plus surprise guest bass(es), Trace Elliot GP11 Mk. 11 1110 Combo, Joyo XVI - 8. @Richard R's (cheap bit on the side as all the corners are taken) - Brawley Artemis KB14 with steel strings,, EBS Session 60, possibly a bitsa to get some advice on, scales to weigh basses with, cake, something for the raffle,

Yeah - and that's the other thing I hate about him.

While I still make monumental c**k ups every now and again, there is no doubt that the exposure to perfection from other builders round here is making me a touch more accurate at times. To get a cable channel from the jack socket, I have to get a hole to the bottom of the rear pickup chamber from the edge, intersecting the jack socket cutout. Basically along this line: With a standard length brad-point drill, where it was easier to ensure I was going at the correct angle in all planes, I first drilled from the edge to the jack chamber. It's a 6mm drill so a standard neck dot will fill the hole at the edge : Then got the big b*****d out and went the distance. It came out at the right place and height! And I'm not sure I could do that again if I tried!

Well, Google is your friend. Apparently the non-intrusive fix is a recent innovation. The above pic is apparently attached on Ebay to the text below: "My name is Evan Webb, proud owner of WEBBTECA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES. In the spring of 2006 I invented what is called a MOD-BAR, the end all problem solver for 2 and 3 point bass bridges. These bridges are commonly found on Gibson, Epiphone and even some imported basses like Aria. All of them share a design flaw that won’t let the saddles intonate correctly. This inherent flaw also causes the silk windings (near the end of the string) to rest over the metal saddles, killing the tone and sustain! Many players have wasted time trying to unwind or cut them off. Now you don’t have to… The MOD-BAR will fix this problem!" So from when your bass was built to 2006, it looks like the only way to solve the Gibson three-point bridge "feature" was drilling for through body stringing or a retainer of some sort like the one fitted on yours.

Almost certainly your bass is fitted with a Gibson three-point bridge, @basskit_case. I think these came in around the early 70's, replacing the original 60's bridges that @yorks5stringer refers to: You should be able to confirm this by looking for a centre screw if you look from the other side of the palm-guard, @basskit_case But the retainer at the back is a retro-fit. To fit some form of string retainer and extender was/is pretty much essential as there isn't enough space between the Gibson designed ball claws and saddles for the string binding on pretty much any normal bass strings. On this count, the bridge is, IMHO, one of the worst-designed bridges around. BUT - I'm pretty sure that is what they were fitting as standard in the 70's (and still do on Epiphones IIRC). This is another 1975 example here: The alternative retro-fit accessory to solve this problem was an extender bar like this which has the advantage of not needing any fixing holes in the body but I'm not sure when these were developed: So - back to your question. My personal view is: - unless the original seller stated specifically that it was original, standard and completely un-modded, then I don't think there is anything to gain by going back to the original seller. It is an original 1975 EB-0, as opposed to a fake or a re-issue. And, yes, it's had an accessory retro-fitted - but that basically makes the bridge work. - it's worth, though, putting in any sales ad, that it has, at some stage in its life, had the accessory retro-fitted (and maybe the palm guard too? Were those standard?)

Welcome back!

Onto the jack socket. This (I hope @wwcringe ) is broadly where Tom wanted the jack socket to be. Before I made the cut, I strapped it up to see how much clearance there is between the jack itself and the player's side - there is plenty! So the chamber was cut So this is how it will sit, with the lead in the standard secure "once round the strap and into the jack socket" position: "But surely, you're going to knock the jack with your hip????!!!" No, actually. Stood up or sat down, it's miles away. And, actually, much, much safer than the jack into the front of the jack plate of many Fenders. Here's the jack in playing position - the blue's my shirt, the grey is my leg: So yes, @wwcringe - you chose a good position

Bit more work on the volute and heel, but the profile is pretty much there: While the neck is on, I'll pop a couple of temporary strap buttons on and check out the positioning of the rear jack access. If I get time, I'll have a go at that this afternoon.

I'll creep up on the neck over a couple of days. I'll probably go entirely by feel rather than templates and also there are a couple of areas (especially the volute, re the multiscale and the heel join) where I want time to sit and ponder before removing wood that can't be put back I prefer, where I can, to carve the neck fixed to the body (most of my builds are through necks anyway so it's probably just what I'm used to). Having marked the centre line so I know not to carve into this area, for the rough shape I start with the spokeshave to take the corners off: Then fairly quickly moved onto the micro-plane rasp blade, drawn down the whole length of the neck like a scraper (wearing gloves!): And this is where I'll leave it for today to finish it to shape over the weekend:

OK, Tom's preference is Prototype 1. So this is the final version, ready to fit: The base plate will be sunk the 2-3mm flush with the body and be securely held in place with a fixing screw in the centre of each curved wing. I know the angle and broad positioning that Tom would prefer but - before I cut the chamber - am going to pop a couple of strap buttons on (it will eventually have the Dunlop insert straplocks so when those are fitted, I will just use the screwholes as my drilling pilot holes) and strap it up to make sure that the jack is going to end up in the right place an inch or so right of the player's right hip. But tomorrow's main job is probably going to be making a start with carving the neck profile

So, Prototype 1: And Prototype 2: In both cases they will be sunk into the body by a couple of mm. Playing air guitar with one of my test bed guitars, they both actually work pretty well and with the jack actually well out of harm's way. So I'm going to pass it over to Tom for whichever he prefers. Then I'll make the final one, just tweaked a bit to get the look and the angles a touch better. By the way, this walnut (recognise it @scrumpymike ? ) will darken nicely with any finish applied. This is the same wood:

So prototype 1 is done and - other than a bit more thought about the fixing (the block will be also the access point) - this concept would work. But @Stub Mandrel has got me thinking. I could actually mirror this to become more like a conventional strat / Ibanez, but with more body to it. So still a carved block, but incorporating the type of scoop @Stub Mandrel refers to. I'll have a play and see if I can get prototype 2 done along those lines